OFFICE CHRISTMAS
It's silly season and many companies will be doing "Secret Santa" gift-giving in the workspace. As my gorgeous better-half points out; people will be blowing R50 on stupid little gifts. Instead of Secret Santa in your office this year PLEASE can you try and mobilise your office to rather take all of those R50 notes and donate to a charity. Of course, my chosen charity is Berea - Hillbrow HOME OF HOPE.
Everyone in the office can nominate a charity and you can put them in a hat and draw one, or perhaps your company already has a Corporate Social Investment charity.
Hell, why not go the whole hog and instead of an end-of-year party you all go and do charitable work for the day. Imagine tossing out all of that conspicuous consumerism and saving the money that would be spent on a lavish restaurant lunch, where everyone gets a bit too tipsy and does or says things they regret afterwards, and donating that money to charity while you all get together and do charitable work. Everyone wins! The company doesn't have to worry about any personal fallouts and runaway booze bills, you and your colleagues will experience great camaraderie and charitable spirit, along with team-building and bonding. Awards can still be given out, and the underprivileged will get a much-needed boost of festive spirit and cheer. Try out http://www.cheesekids.org.za - They will easily set up the whole thing for you, including transport.
If there are too many "Bah Humbugs!" about having to do charity work and no end-of-year pissup, take the team out for some well-deserved drinks or a lunch afterwards.
FAMILY CHRISTMAS
Our family usually has a massive big lunch together with everyone. Instead of ALL of us buying presents for EVERYONE, all the adults donate R50 (or more if you like) to a predetermined charity (Check out The Trust locally or JustGive.org internationally for an easy way to make donations as gifts). Kids still get presents, but it's really stupid to spend so much money on presents for everyone. Do you really need that latest bestseller, or a new pair of socks (actually, I do) but still, can't you just buy that for yourself? There are people out there that can't even read and have never owned socks. Who do you think needs your compassion and charity more? It's a no-brainer.
If you're still not convinced, maybe read what the Dalai Lama has to say about true success and happiness:
I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It is the ultimate source of success in life.
It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. There are two aspects to action. One is to overcome the distortions and afflictions of your own mind, that is, in terms of calming and eventually dispelling anger. This is action out of compassion. The other is more social, more public. When something needs to be done in the world to rectify the wrongs, if one is really concerned with benefitting others, one needs to be engaged, involved. - Dalai Lama
To all my friends, I'd like to introduce you to The Home of Hope. This is one of the most incredible charities I have come across. I hardly ever request people to do anything online - besides be subjected to my posts :p - but please could you take the time to familiarise yourself with The Home of Hope. Please join the Facebook group and read up more about The Home of Hope. It truly is a charity making a positive impact in the lives of many girls in the Jo'burg CBD, effectively freeing them from slavery, drug abuse, physical abuse, prostitution, rape, paedophilia and the horrific list goes on. Give them hope!
PLEASE can you invite all your friends, spread the word, get involved yourself, any small gesture is appreciated.
Thanking you in advance,
Rob
Dear Friends of Home of Hope.
This message is a request for help to fundraise for a new residence for The Home of Hope (please click here and join the group and find more info). We want a safe Shelter for our girls who've been rescued from the streets of Johannesburg.
The Home of Hope has done extraordinary work for the past 10 years. At the moment we have 50 girls sharing an apartment in Hillbrow. Although the apartment is immaculate and the girls are grateful for a safe bed, it’s not an ideal situation.
One of the major challenges for The Home of Hope is that social services will not grant the approximate R700 per child per month while they operate from a rented flat in a sectional title. If The Home of Hope owned the building we would be entitled to receive a small steady income that would help the day to day running of the Shelter.
On the positive side we have a few generous organisations and people working hard at making sure the girls get well fed, have transport to school, lots of extra learning and stimulation. We also have a fantastic team of volunteers doing everything from running monthly sales of second hand goods to creating a professional image, web site and fund raising documents (still being developed).
We’ve found a small building in Bellevue with 4 large apartments. Each apartment has 3 large bedrooms. If we used 3 apartments for sleeping in, with 9 bedrooms and 6 girls in each room, 54 girls would sleep comfortably. The extra apartment could be used as a living space. The outside backyard would mean no one has to sit and guard the washing line!
The building is for sale for R1,000,000 plus approximately R100,000 transfer fees and VAT etc. As of 23 June 2010 we have two confirmed anonymous donations, one of R100,000 and one of R20,000.
If you are at all keen to assist with funds or want to just stay in the loop as we progress with the fundraising, please don’t hesitate to call any of the contacts below.
Please feel free to forward this letter onto your friends and spread the word about Home of Hope.
We have 2 NPO organisations – one is Home of Hope Berea Hillbrow – NPO 019857. Home of Hope Website. Another is SOLSA – Seeds of Light South Africa, NPO 032813 SOLSA.
Both NPO’s can give you a 18A Tax exempt certificate on donations received. To hold the funds specifically for the purchase of our new Home.
Rasada Goldblatt – SOLSA – 082 902 0081 or 011 7821542
Rachel Rusznyak – SOLSA – 082 684 3852
Khanyi Motsa – Founder of Home of Hope – 073 – 250 2086
Jayne Davies – Volunteer at Home of Hope – 082 338 4339
In love and light, from all the Residents at The Home of Hope :)
